The Big Picture....
The Ashes have been retained, but there's still so much at stake as the series moves on to the New Year Test in Sydney.
The first such scoreline since 1972, but one that would leave the Aussies feeling decidedly chipper after one of their most exacting home summers since the mid-1980s.
The unheralded offspinner Peter Taylor claimed eight wickets on debut to secure a consolation 55-run victory in the fifth Test of the 1986-87 series, it was assumed it was a case of dead cat bounce for an out-muscled outfit. On the contrary, that victory would be the first of 12 Aussie wins without reply in Ashes cricket, with their run finally ending at The Oval in 1993.
Watch out for....
Michael Beer and Usman Khawaja will be making their Test debuts, but they will have surpassed themselves if they attract even a fraction of the attention that will be reserved for third first-timer in the Aussie ranks. On Monday, Michael Clarke will become Australia's 43rd Test captain, and so step into a role that is second only in the nation's prestige to the office of Prime Minister.
Whether he is worthy of such a position is a question that he needs to answer PDQ. Some 85% of respondents to a national newspaper poll do not believe he is up to it, and while his team-mates have rallied round obediently this week, it is no secret that he is not universally adored within the dressing room. With 148 runs at 21.14 in the series to date, he'll secure himself a quick hit of respect if he can rediscover his once-silky batting form.
Team news....
A new year, a new team for Australia. Ponting's broken finger means he will be absent from their ranks for the first time since the tour of India in 2004-05, some 73 Tests ago, while Ryan Harris's stress fractured ankle deprives them of arguably their most tireless fast-bowling option, and a man who claimed a career-best 6 for 47 at Perth a fortnight ago. Khawaja, Australia's first Muslim Test cricketer, will step into Ponting's immense shoes at No. 3, while Beer will finally get an outing after carrying the stubbies at the WACA and the MCG.
Pitch and conditions....
Sydney's traditional characteristics will please Swann after a series in which only one surface, Adelaide, has truly played into his hands. But, according to David Saker, England's revered bowling coach and the architect of their strategies for all five Tests, it will also swing at the SCG. James Anderson will be licking his lips, but so too Mitchell Johnson …
Stats....
Australia's record at the SCG is formidable, with 14 wins in 16 Tests dating back to 1996.
However, England are the only side to have beaten them at the venue in that time. Their 225-run win in 2002-03 was their last win on Australian soil until last month's Adelaide Test .
Alastair Cook needs 23 more runs to reach 600 for the series, a landmark achieved by just six England batsmen in Australia, most recently Michael Vaughan (633) in 2002-03.
Ricky Ponting 's absence leaves him stranded on 99 Test wins, which is still the most individual victories by any player in Test history.
Australia (probable)....
1 Shane Watson, 2 Phillip Hughes, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Steven Smith, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Michael Beer, 11 Ben Hilfenhaus.
England (probable)....
1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Alastair Cook, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Paul Collingwood, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Chris Tremlett, 11 James Anderson
Quotes....
"He'll be an aggressive captain, always looking to take wickets out there, make changes to the field and with the bowlers. That's the way Australians have played our cricket as long as I can remember. I think he'll be a very positive captain."
Michael Hussey gives a vote of confidence to his new leader, Michael Clarke.
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